Color-printing web-fed jobbing rotary press

ABSTRACT

A multi-color web-fed rotary printing press is usable for job printing. Several printing devices are arranged as several bridge printing units which are supported by frames, at least one of which is shiftable in a horizontal direction. The bridge printing units are arranged on a lower horizontal plane and a printed web dryer is situated on an upper horizontal plane. The resultant printing press has a reduced overall size.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a multi-color web-fed rotary printingpress for job printing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

A multi-color web-fed rotary printing press with eight inking systemsfor job printing is known from a brochure of MAN-Roland DruckmaschinenAG, (DE), (Brochure No. 235 850 d/4.90.5pd; Polyman of DRUPA 1990),which consists of a roll changer, four printing systems arranged onebehind the other, a dryer, a cooling unit, a turning bar arrangement anda folding apparatus in a horizontal arrangement. In this case, theinking systems for the printing units of the printing systems arearranged once below the horizontally extending paper web and once abovethe paper web

This prior art arrangement is depicted in FIG. 6 of the drawings.

GB-A-2 229 140 discloses a multi-color web-fed rotary printing presswith several sheet printing systems disposed above one another. A paperweb is supplied to the sheet printing systems by a roll changer.Following printing, the web runs through a drying chamber and finallyinto a folding apparatus.

The great length of the MAN-Roland printing press is disadvantageous inconnection with the mentioned prior art multi-color web-fed rotaryprinting press, as well as are the large expenses for the constructionof the press and the increased costs for enclosing space. Moreover, thepaper web to be printed must pass over a relatively long distancebetween the printing points, which can result in registrationdifficulties. Finally, it is also disadvantageous that the inkingsystems associated with the printing units at one time have a directionof the ink flow from the top to the bottom and at another time adirection of the ink flow from the bottom to the top, which can lead todifferent inking conditions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the present invention to provide a short multicolorweb-fed rotary printing press for job printing of approximately the samestructural height and with the same output parameters in respect to theprior art, having a plurality of so-called 1/1 printing units.

This object is attained in accordance with the invention by providing amulti-color web-fed rotary printing press for job printing that hasseveral sheet printing devices which are supplied with paper from a rollchanger. After the paper web has been printed, it is conveyed to adrying chamber and then to a folding apparatus. The printing system iscomprised of several bridge printing units which are separable into leftand right printing units that are mounted on left and right framesections which are movable horizontally with respect to each other.These bridge units are located on a first plane and the drying chamberis located in a second plane situated above the first plane

The following advantages in particular are achieved by means of thepresent invention:

At approximately the same height as the prior devices, the printingpress in accordance with the invention has a considerably reduced totallength, because of which enormous construction expenses are saved. Bymeans of a shortened configuration of the printing units, which moreoverare also disposed on top of each other in a bridge construction, it hasbecome possible to shorten a multi-color web-fed rotary printing pressfor job printing in a drastic manner. The ink flow in each printing unitalways has the same direction, so that the same inking conditionsprevail in all printing units. Because of the reduced distance betweenthe printing units, the amounts of waste during start-up and brakingoperations, for example during printing plate changes, are reduced.Finally, the printing systems can also be employed as additionalprinting systems or as a printing system for a flying printing platechange (imprinter).

Further than that, because of the rapid exchangeability of the printingand rubber blanket cylinders for each printing unit, it is possible toachieve a good format variability of the printing systems. In the stateof rest of the printing systems' a manual change of a finite rubberblanket or of an endless rubber blanket or (sleeve) is possible becauseof good accessibility of the press. It is also possible to apply theprinting plates to the printing cylinders manually or by means of aprinting plate changing device. It is also possible to apply endlessrubber blankets, or sleeves to the rubber blanket cylinders. This isalso possible in the case of a change of the printing plates on theprinting cylinder. The printing system in accordance with the presentinvention also has advantages regarding the structural height of suchprinting systems in a satellite construction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described in greater detail below by meansof an exemplary embodiment. Shown in the associated drawings are in:

FIG. 1, a schematic lateral view of a printing press in an arrangementin accordance with the present invention,

FIG. 2, an arrangement of the printing units shown in FIG. 1 in the restposition, with a displaceable frame element for receiving printingunits,

FIG. 3 an arrangement of the printing units shown in FIG. 1 in the restposition in a further embodiment with two displaceable frame elementsfor receiving portions of printing units,

FIG. 4, an enlarged representation of a printing unit 4 of FIG. 2 with aconventional inking and dampening system,

FIG. 5, an enlarged representation of a printing unit 5 of FIG. 3 withan anilox inking system,

FIG. 6, a multi-color web-fed rotary printing press for job printing inaccordance with the prior art, and

FIG. 7, a multi-color web-fed rotary printing press for job printing inaccordance with the invention on a scale for comparison with the priorart in accordance with FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Between an upper support 71 and a lower support 72 as seen in FIGS. 2and 3, of a multi-color web-fed rotary printing press for job printingwhich is shown generally in FIGS. 1 and 7, a number of multi-printingunits, identified as a whole by 6, is shown in a first horizontal plane59. This group of printing units consists of printing units 2 to 5 and11 to 14. These printing units 2 to 5 and 11 to 14, respectively, haverubber blanket cylinders 16.2 to 16.5 and 16.11 to 16.14, which are eachrespectively arranged in a bridge printing unit 2-11, 3-12, 4-13, 5-14blanket to blanket. A printing cylinder 17.2 to 17.5 and 17.11 to 17.14is associated with each rubber blanket cylinder 16.2 to 16.5 and 16.11to 16.14. A dampening system 18 and a conventional inking system 19 canbe associated with each printing cylinder as is shown in FIG. 4. It isalso possible to associate respectively spray dampening systems 21 andanilox short printing systems 22 to each printing cylinder 17.2 to 17.5and 17.11 to 17.14 as depicted in FIG. 5. The bridge printing units2-11, 3-12, 4-13, 5-14 can be symmetrically separated vertically and atleast one half of the bridge printing units 11 to 14 is disposed on amovable or shiftable frame 9 which is displaceable between the supports71, 72, because of which maintenance work can be performed easier asshown in FIG. 2. A left frame element 1 can be arranged fixed in placeon a support, and a right frame element 9 can be disposed, displaceableon rollers, as far as a distance "a" to assure accessibility.

In accordance with a further preferred embodiment, it is possible toseat all rubber blanket cylinders 16.2 to 16.5 and 16.11 to 16.14stationary in an element 73, which is fixed in place on a support andwhich is located centrally between the two vertically spaced supports71, 72, wherein the rubber blanket cylinders touch each other, minus thethickness of a paper web 58, and the printing cylinders 17.2 to 17.5 ofthe printing units 2 to 5, as well as the respectively associated spraydampening systems 21 and anilox short inking systems 22, are disposed ona left, horizontally displaceable frame element 7. Also, the printingcylinders 17.11 to 17.14 of the printing units 11 to 14, as well as therespectively associated spray dampening systems 21 and anilox shortinking systems 22, are together arranged, horizontally displaceable, ona right horizontally displaceable frame element 8, all as may be seen inFIG. 3. The frame elements 7, 8, 9 are displaceable on rollers, and areshifted by means of double-acting work cylinders. The frame elements 7to 9 are guided with their tops in the support 71. In both embodimentsdepicted in FIGS. 2 and 3, either inking and dampening systems 18, 19 inconventional construction, or anilox short inking systems 22 or spraydampening systems 21 can be embodied. In the state of rest of theprinting unit, the frame elements 7 and 8 are at a distance "b" from thecenter piece 73 which is fixed in place on the support. The distance "b"as well as the distance "a" are generally at least equal to the (widthof a person to facilitate access by a person to the various presscomponents.

The conventional inking system 19, as seen in FIG. 4 consists of threeink application rollers 26 to 28 resting against the printing cylinder17.4, whose uppermost ink application roller 28 is, in turn, in contactvia three ink transfer rollers 30, 31, 32 and two ink distributionrollers 33, 34 with the ink application roller 26 resting against theprinting cylinder 17.4. The lower ink distribution cylinder 33 isconnected via an ink transfer roller 36 and an ink distribution roller37 and a lifting roller 38 with an ink ductor 39 of an ink trough 40. Amoisture application roller 42 of the dampening system 18 restingagainst the printing cylinder 17.4 is connected via a moisture transferroller 43 with a dampening ductor 44 of a dampening water trough 45.

An anilox short inking system 22 is shown in FIG. 5 and consists of oneor two ink application rollers 47, 48 resting against the printingcylinder 17.5, which are, in turn, connected with an ink trough 50 viaan inking roller 49. A known chamber doctor blade and an ink collectingtrough can be employed in place of an ink trough 50. A dampening system21, if desired to be embodied as a spray dampening system, can consistof a dampening agent application roller 52 resting against the printingcylinder 17.5, and a known spraying device 53 (FIG. 5).

A paper web 58, running from a roll changer 56 via a draw-in system 57,as seen in FIGS. 1 and 7, is supplied to the multi-printing systems 6disposed on top of each other. The roll changer 56 and the draw-insystem 57 consist of known devices and are located on the same,horizontally extending first plane 59 as are the number ofmulti-printing units 6. After the paper web 58, for example printed 4/4,has left the multi-printing systems 6 in a vertical direction, it isconducted, for example contactless, via a paper guide roller 61 to a hotair dryer 62, which is located in a horizontal direction in a secondplane 63 above the supports 71, 72, wherein the second horizontal plane63 is located above the first horizontal plane 59. A hot air dryer 62extends above the roll changer 56 and the draw-in system 57 and alsopartially above the multi-printing systems 6, but at least above theroll changer 56. Viewed in the running direction of the paper web 58, aknown cooling roller unit 64 follows the hot air dryer 62 and is locatedin the second plane 63, and a turning bar superstructure 66 is disposedunderneath it, through which the paper web 58 runs before it issupplied, via a known draw-in funnel unit 67, to a known foldingapparatus 68 with a product delivery device, which is located in thefirst plane 59 on the side of the roll changer 56 facing away from thedraw-in system. In this way, a reduced overall structural length isachieved with the same structural height of the multi-color web-fedrotary printing press for job printing, wherein 4/4 printing is madepossible and it is also possible to operate in the "imprinter" mode. Therubber blanket and printing cylinders are easily accessible formaintenance work as well as for accomplishment of a manual change of therubber blanket dressings or printing plates. Automatic changing of theprinting plates can also take place with the aid of known printing platechanging devices. It is also possible to change a printing forme bymeans of an exposure and clearing unit without having to remove theprinting forme from the press in the process. It is moreover alsopossible to use printing cylinders or rubber blanket cylinders withchanged diameters in the configuration shown in FIG. 3, wherein theseating units for the journals of the cylinders must be embodied to bechangeable. When using a known device, for example DE 35 00 319 A1, thecylinders can also be clamped on one side, so that cylinders stillpresent in the printing press can be provided with continuous dressingsrubber blanket or print dressing.

While preferred embodiments of a color-printing web-fed jobbing rotarypress in accordance with the present invention have been set forth fullyand completely hereinabove, it will be apparent to one of skill in theart that a number of changes in, for example, the type of web beingprinted, the drive arrangement for the press units, the type of inksused and the like may be made without departing from the true spirit andscope of the present invention which is accordingly to be limited onlyby the following claims.

We claim:
 1. A multi-color web-fed rotary printing press usable for jobprinting comprising:a printing system disposed at a first plane, saidprinting system including a plurality of bridge printing units disposedabove each other, each of said plurality of bridge printing units beingseparable into first and second sections, said first section of each ofsaid bridge printing units having a first printing cylinder and a firstrubber blanket cylinder, said second section of each of said bridgeprinting units having a second printing cylinder and a second rubberblanket cylinder, said first and second blanket cylinders in each ofsaid bridge printing units being engageable with each other to print aweb passing vertically therebetween; a first frame section, said firstsections of said plurality of said bridge printing units being mountedon said first frame section; a second frame section, said secondsections of said plurality of said bridge printing units being mountedon said second frame section; means for moving at least one of saidfirst and second frame sections in said first plane with respect to theother of said first and second frame sections so that said first andsecond frame sections can be separated by a horizontal distance fromeach other to separate said first and second blanket cylinders in saidplurality of bridge printing units from each other; a roll changer forsupplying a paper web to said printing system, said roll changer beingdisposed at said first plane; and a drying chamber for receiving aprinted web from said printing system, said drying chamber beingdisposed above said roll changer and in a second plane above said firstplane.
 2. The printing press of claim 1 wherein one of said first andsecond frame sections is fixed in place.
 3. The printing press of claim1 further including means for locking said first and second framesections in an operating position.
 4. The printing press of claim 1further including a cooling roller unit arranged in said second plane.5. The printing press of claim 1 further including a paper web draw-insystem situated adjacent said roll changer.
 6. The printing press ofclaim 5 wherein said drying chamber is disposed above said roll changerand said draw-in system.
 7. The printing press of claim 5 wherein saiddrying chamber is disposed above said roll changer and said draw-insystem and at least partially above said printing system.
 8. Theprinting press of claim 1 further including a folding apparatus forreceiving a printed web from said drying chamber, said folding apparatusbeing disposed at said first plane, said roll changer being disposedbetween said printing system and said folding apparatus.
 9. Amulti-color web-fed rotary printing press usable for job printingcomprising:a printing system including a plurality of bridge printingunits disposed above each other at a first plane, each of said bridgeprinting units being separable into first, second and third sections,each of said bridge printing units including first and second printingcylinders, first and second blanket cylinders and first and secondinking systems; a first frame section, said first printing cylinders andsaid first inking systems being mounted on said first frame section; asecond frame section, said second printing cylinders and said secondinking systems being mounted on said second frame section; a third framesection, said first and second blanket cylinders being mounted on saidthird frame section; means for supporting said first and second framesections for movement with respect to said third frame section, saidthird frame section being situated between said first and second framesections, said first and second frame sections each being separable by ahorizontal spacing distance from said third frame section; a rollchanger for supplying a paper web to said printing system; and a dryingchamber for receiving a printed web from said printing system, saiddrying chamber being disposed in a second plane above said first plane.10. The printing press of claim 9 further including means for lockingsaid first and second frame sections with said third frame section in anoperating position.
 11. The printing press of claim 9 further includinga cooling roller unit arranged in said second plane.
 12. The printingpress of claim 9 wherein said drying chamber is disposed above said rollchanger.
 13. The printing press of claim 9 further including a paper webdraw-in system situated adjacent said roll changer.
 14. The printingpress of claim 13 wherein said drying chamber is disposed above saidroll changer and said draw-in system.
 15. The printing press of claim 13wherein said drying chamber is disposed above said roll changer and saiddraw-in system and at least partially above said printing system.